The present invention relates generally to an optical selector arrangement, to a system using such an arrangement, and also to related methods.
It is often required to transmit or receive data at high transfer rates. Such transfer rates have led to data transfer being undertaken optically, for example through optical fibre or communication networks, as opposed to the more traditional route of the use of electrically conductive wires or cables or similar.
Sometimes, data can be optically transferred from one location to another with little loss. This is particularly the case if little or no processing of the data is required between the locations. Sometimes, however, processing is required between the locations, and this can lead to losses in a signal that is being transferred between locations. It is of course desirable to minimise such losses where possible.
Take for example an antenna in optical communication (that is, optically coupled) to a beam-forming processor. The amount of data transferred to and from the antenna from the beam-forming network can be significant, and the rate of data transfer can also be significant. Depending on the nature of the antenna and/or beam-forming processor, there may be some form of processing of the signal sent to/received from the antenna, for example in the process of beam steering. Beam-steering could be achieved by selective blocking or unblocking of optical ports that couple the beam-forming processor to one or components of the antenna. However, blocking may lead to significant losses in signal transmission/reception. These losses may be reduced somewhat by replacing the blocking/unblocking arrangement with a non-blocking optical switch arrangement or matrix. However, even with such a non-blocking switch arrangement, losses are still quite significant.
It is an example aim of embodiments of the present invention to at least partially obviate or mitigate one or more disadvantages of the prior art, whether identified above or elsewhere, or at least to provide an alternative to existing optical connector arrangements, related systems and methods.